How Everton loanees Ellis Simms, Niels Nkounkou, Jean-Phillipe Gbamin and rest are faring

Everton have no fixture this weekend due to the international.

With the season pausing before the crucial run-in, with the Toffees scrapping for Premier League survival, we’ve taken a look at how the players out on loan away from Goodison Park are faring.

Niels Nkounkou - Standard Liege

There are some supporters who wish the Frenchman was still at Goodison given the problems at left-back.

Still, Nkounkou left to get regular minutes under his belt and that's proving the case.

In total, the 21-year-old has made 23 appearances for Liege, who sit 13th in the Belgian Pro League.

Nkounkou has a year remaining on his Everton contract.

Jean-Philippe Gbamin - CSKA Moscow

The midfielder has endured a frustrating period since his £25 million arrival from Mainz in 2019.

Gbamin has managed only nine appearances for Everton in total - with five of those this season.

The Ivorian's time in Moscow has so far not been impacted by Russia's invasion of Ukraine.

Gbamin's hit the ground running and been a regular for third-placed CSKA so far.

He's virtually made five full appearances, recording one goal, one assist and one man-of-the-match award.

Gbamin is tied down at Everton until 2024.

Moise Keane - Juventus

Despite the striker all-but departing Everton permanently, he is indeed on a two-year loan back at the Old Lady.

However, things haven't exactly been going well for Kean.

He's managed just four goals in 34 games and the January arrival of Dusan Vlahovic has pushed Kean down the pecking order.

There are reports that Juve want to cut Kean's loan spell short but Everton would surely demand they find another suitor before giving it the green light.

Ellis Simms - Hearts

After a scintillating spell at Blackpool last season, the centre-forward is having another decent period away from Merseyside.

Simms, who signed a new Everton contract in November until 2024, has netted three goals in 13 games for Hearts so far.

The Edinburgh outfit are set to comfortably finish third in the SPL while they meet fierce rivals Hibernian in the Scottish Cup semi-finals next month.

João Virginia - Sporting Lisbon

The 22-year-old goalkeeper has endured a difficult period back in his homeland.

Virginia has been limited to only seven appearances in all competitions.

Sporting sit second in the Primeira League table.

The keeper is under contract at Everton until 2024.

Nathan Broadhead

The winger has enjoyed a decent season playing regular first-team football in League One.

Injuries have taken their toll, though. A recurring hamstring injury means that Broadhead has made only one appearance in the past three months.

Still, the 23-year-old has netted seven goals in 17 games during the Black Cats' promotion push. They’re currently sixth.

Broadhead has a year left on his Everton contract and could be sold to raise some funds in the summer.

Lewis Gibson

It's been a disappointing season for the centre-back.

Gibson has been unable to build any sort of momentum for Wednesday due to injuries.

He's managed just six appearances in their League One promotion bid and is currently absent with a knock.

The Owls are seventh and one point outside the play-offs.

Gibson's Toffees deal comes to a close this summer.

Lewis Warrington

The teenage midfielder is enjoying a superb maiden experience of senior football.

Warrington, 19, has hit the ground running at Prenton Park.

He's registered one goal and one assist in nine outings at fifth-placed Rovers push for League Two promotion.

Warrington's out of contract at Everton this summer.